The Man In Love With You
by karis j anderson
Summary: Entry to the All Hallows Eve Contest: There's something different about Edward Cullen...and she doesn't care.  She falls in love with him anyway.  Everything changes on Halloween night.  Will another Halloween night years later bring them full circle?


This was my entry for the All Hallows Eve contest. No, it didn't win…but the story that did win honestly deserved to! It was great!

Just wanted to share this as a Halloween trick or treat for my readers!

Disclaimer: Twilight, its characters and situations belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Please enjoy

**The Man In Love With You**

"What the hell is so damn fascinating to you?"

Jacob's voice woke me from my daze. I had done it again, without even realizing it. It was getting worse and worse. I simply couldn't control myself.

Every day I sat with our little clique at our table in the cafeteria, and every day I sat and stared at his table.

I just couldn't help myself.

At that exact moment, he looked up, directly at me, almost as though he could read my thoughts. His perfect ruby red lips curved up into a slight smile as his topaz eyes glinted at me.

"Oh, nothing," I tried to act nonchalant as I looked away quickly, not wanting him to see me staring yet again.

"Every day, you sit here and stare at them," Jacob shoved the final bite of his sandwich into his mouth, crumbling his brown paper bag into a small ball in his giant hand and tossing it across the table at an unsuspecting Tyler before his right arm curled around me protectively. He had pulled me so close that I could feel the heat from his body seeping through my sweater. And I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Face it, the Cullen-Hale family are freaks," Mike tossed an M&M into the air, catching it with his mouth like a trained seal. I wondered for a moment if he could be trained to toot out Mary Had a Little Lamb on a few bicycle horns too.

"That's not nice, Mike," Angela shook her head. "Just because someone's different from you doesn't mean they're freaks." That would be Angela, the sole voice of reason in our group.

"They're freaks," Jessica's brown curls bobbed as she nodded in agreement with her boyfriend. I wouldn't have expected anything less from her. "I mean, someone the size of Emmett not playing on the football team? What's up with that?"

"And their skin is so pale. I accidentally brushed up against Alice's hand one day by our lockers and it was like touching ice," Ben shivered at the thought and pulled Angela closer to him. She rolled her eyes.

"That could be a medical disorder," Erik had been silent up until this point. He was our resident nerd.

"You mean like, they're albino's or something?" Mike had such an eloquent way with words.

"Well, or something. If they were albino, their eyes would be pink, not golden," Erik leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together across his chest. "It could be anything from a blood disorder to a simple lack of melanin in their bodies," he shrugged.

"A blood disorder," Angela mumbled. "Like, they could be anaemic or even hemophiliacs?"

"Exactly. Hemophilia would explain why Emmett doesn't play football. Or why none of them take gym. And since we are talking genetic disorders, well, it would stand to reason that since they are all blood related, they all inherited it."

Damn, Erik was good.

I chewed on my carrot stick quietly, trying hard not to allow my eyes to wander back to their table. I didn't think the Cullen's or the Hale's appreciated being the main attraction in the Forks High Freak Show.

Doctor Carlisle Cullen and his lovely wife Esme had moved here, to dreary Forks, Washington, two years ago, bringing with them their three pale children, Emmett (who had been left back in third grade and, while a year older, was in our class) and their twins, Edward and Alice. They had also inherited custody of Mrs. Cullen's twin niece and nephew, Rosalie and Jasper Hale, after their parents perished in a car accident in Rochester, New York. Rosalie and Jasper were equally pale, and equally beautiful. In fact, it was nearly impossible to decide which one of them, Cullen or Hale, was the most beautiful. I don't believe I had ever seen a family that was that good looking. I don't believe that anyone had.

But that wasn't why I stared.

The bell rang and we all got up, gathering our odds and ends together as we headed to our next class.

"Well, one thing's for sure," Jacob put his arm around me tightly as we walked out of the cafeteria. "None of them will need a costume if they come to the Halloween Howl on Friday night."

"No shit. They'd scare the crap out of anyone on any day. Especially at night," Mike snorted as he flipped his empty lunch bag into a nearby trash can.

The Halloween Howl was a Forks High tradition. It was little more than a huge Halloween party, but in a town as small as Forks, you took whatever you could get. The Howl committee (who called themselves the We'reWolves~I kid you not) spent a great deal of time and energy decorating the gym until it was nearly unrecognizable. It looked more like a set out of a horror movie than the place where our basketball team played. Naturally, these were the same kids who made up the drama club's stage crew, and I have to say, we had quite a talented bunch.

This would the last Howl for our little group, since we would be graduating in June and moving on. Since school started in September, Jacob and the rest of our friends had been saying that this Howl would be the night to remember from high school. Clearly, who was I to argue? I also sincerely doubted that, contrary to what anyone else may have thought, any of the Cullen's or Hale's would be in attendance, in costume or otherwise.

Jacob walked me to the Science building and kissed me lightly on the lips before heading off into the constant misty drizzle to his math class. I felt a slight pang of guilt as I climbed the stairs to the second floor Biology lab.

My lab partner was already seated at our little black table, as he always was. He didn't look up when I sat down, but then again, he never did. We were in luck today. We got to dissect a frog.

Mr. Banner pushed a cart up and down the aisles, imploring each lab table to take a frog from the box on it. The frogs were hermetically sealed stiffly in plastic bags, having been bred and prepared for this their entire lives. Took one for the team, they did, in the name of science.

My lab partner, bless his soul, silently slipped past me, dipping his long, elegant hand into the box and pulling out our frog so that I wouldn't have to. He glanced at me quickly before he was back in his seat, tossing the bag onto the lab table in front of him with a thud.

"When you have your frog, remove him from the bag and follow the procedure to pin him to the dissection pan that you'll find in your hand outs," Mr. Banner called over the din in the lab.

Once more, my lab partner proved to me why he was the best there ever was. While everyone else was squealing and squabbling over who would have to touch the cursed thing, my partner simply snipped open the bag, pulled the pickled amphibian out and pinned him to the pan with swift movements.

He flashed a crooked smile at me.

"I hope the smell of the formaldehyde isn't too strong for you, Bella," he said softly, without looking at me.

"I'm fine, Edward," and I ran my fingertips lightly over the knuckles of his hand closest to me and shivered involuntarily.

His eyes flickered toward me briefly with a look that made my stomach flip and my knees weak.

Class moved forward and we began the dissection process, with a mandate from Mr. Banner to make sure that both lab partners engaged in the activity.

And so, with much trepidation, I picked up the sharp scalpel and began to slice through the tough skin of the frog with trembling hands.

But my hands shook too much, and the scalpel slipped, slicing into the tip of the index finger I had resting on the frog to hold it steady.

Deep red blood began to seep from the slashed skin.

My lab partner grabbed my hand quickly and brought the finger I had cut to his perfect lips, kissing the injured spot. His tongue flicked over my fingertip, quickly sucking the bead of blood away, his intense topaz eyes staring into my brown ones.

The passion inside of me burned.

I was having an affair with my lab partner, Edward Cullen.

And no one knew.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

The chief of police in Forks was Charlie Swan, my father. For as long as I could remember, he always worked the night shift around Halloween. This year was no exception.

"You going to be ok," he asked as he slid his arms into his jacket.

"Aren't I always," I smiled.

"I just worry about leaving you this time of year, Bells."

"You don't have to, Dad. I'll be fine," I smiled again and fixed the collar of his jacket.

"Make sure all the doors and windows are locked before you go to bed, you hear?"

"Of course, Dad."

He nodded once to me, and was gone.

Despite my promises to my father, I pushed my bedroom window open wide, letting the frigid late October air in, and set about turning my bed down.

His arms were around me before I knew he was there.

"Edward," I sighed as his cool lips met the hot skin of my neck. "I didn't hear you come in." His arms tightened around me and I shivered.

"You shouldn't leave your window open, Bella. You never know what's going to blow in," his velvety smooth voice whispered into my ear.

I turned and faced him, running my fingers along the sharp angles of his jaw. His beautiful face was cool and pale, like a finely sculpted marble statue. His red lips twitched up into a crooked smile.

"What are you," I whispered as my fingers slid up and into the wild mess that was his soft bronze hair.

"Just the man in love with you," he breathed before his luscious lips crashed into mine.

Our kiss deepened and I gently tugged him over to my bed, pulling him onto me.

"No," he pulled back, breaking our kiss. "I can't."

"Please," I begged.

"Not tonight," his golden eyes sad.

He settled onto my bed, and pulled me against him. I rested my head on his muscular chest and ran my fingers up and down it. I felt him shiver beneath my touch.

"So, everyone's going to First Beach after Howl on Friday," I mused.

"Are they," he smirked.

"Yeah, you know what they're going to do."

"Of course. Build the big bon fire and drink," he snickered. "The usual."

"Yep. And Jacob…" my voice trailed off.

"Jacob what," he asked.

"Nothing."

"It's something, Bella," his strong arm wrapped tightly around my shoulder. "Tell me."

"No," I shook my head. "I can't."

"Bella," his voice was soft. "You know you can tell me anything."

I sighed, knowing he was right. "Jacob keeps pushing for us to…to…you know."

I felt his body tense. "And you tell him…what," his voice was cautious.

"I don't answer him," I sighed and sat up. "Edward, it's not Jacob I want. It's you."

He stared up at me and I ran my fingers along his jaw again. His eyes closed and he sighed.

"Are you going to First Beach then?"

"No. Are you coming to Howl?"

"I don't know. We never go to school functions."

"You should come. All of you. It's our last one," the thought that this would be my last Howl made me sad, but not as sad as the idea of not being with Edward on Halloween night. If I ever needed him, I needed him on that night.

"If you come home instead of going to First Beach, then I'll meet you here, like every night," he sat up and leaned against the headboard.

"I already told you, I'm not going to First Beach. I'm coming home after, even if I have to feign illness to do it," his arm wrapped around me again, pulling me to his chest once more.

"Then I'll be here when you get home," he sighed.

"I'm glad. My dad will be working all night. God only knows what time he'll get home in the morning."

"Then we'll have the whole night," he grinned wickedly at me.

"We will," I shivered against him.

"Are you cold," he asked as he pulled the old quilt up around my shoulders.

"No, it's just…Halloween."

"I thought you liked Halloween. You go to Howl every year, don't you?"

"I go, but I really hate Halloween," I shook my head.

"Why? Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night," he wriggled his eyebrows at me.

"No, silly," I slapped at his chest. "It's just…that's the night my mom…" I couldn't finish my sentence.

"Oh, God. I'm an idiot," he shook his head. "I'm sorry Bella."

"It's ok. I don't talk about it. I know you've only heard from the talk around school."

"Yeah, but I should have known better," he ran his fingers across my cheek. "I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

"You've got nothing to be sorry for," I snuggled more closely to him and he wrapped his other arm around me, binding me to him with his strength. I felt so close to him, closer than I had ever felt to Jacob. "Can I tell you about it?"

"Do you want to," his voice was cautious.

"Yes, please, if you don't mind?"

He ran his fingers through my hair. "I could never mind, Bella."

I started talking then, telling him about that fateful Halloween night a decade before. I couldn't believe that it had been ten years already. I had been seven. Dressed up like Harry Potter, complete with the lightning bolt scar on my forehead. I was in the back seat. Mom was driving. I talked and Edward listened until I fell asleep.

I woke alone the next morning, wondering, like I did every morning, if I had only dreamed him up, until I saw him again in the cafeteria at school. Of course I knew he'd slipped out the window when he heard my father return home.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Friday night was much like every Halloween night in Forks. Eerily similar to the night my mother died. The streets were slick with rain, the air gray with fog. I tried to put the unpleasant memories out of my head, knowing the bliss that awaited me at home after Howl.

Jacob paid no mind to my warnings to slow down as we hurtled toward the high school in his beat up old Rabbit with Mike and Jessica making out furiously in the back seat.

"Ya gotta lighten up, baby," he had one warm arm wrapped around my shoulders and the other draped over the steering wheel casually. He pulled the arm around me away, much to my relief, and then pulled a flask from the console. "Here, have some."

"I don't want any, Jacob," I pushed his hand away.

"Baby, you're such a pooper."

"I'm not a pooper and stop calling me baby."

We were dressed in our costumes. Jacob had insisted on going as a couple and had decided that, even though he was full blooded Quileute, he would be the cowboy and I would be the Indian. In reality, mine was a Pocahontas costume while his was Woody the pull string cowboy, both from the Disney store.

"You're in a mood tonight," he frowned.

"Ya think?"

"Bells, I know Halloween is a hard night for you. Why didn't you say you didn't want to go?"

"I do want to go, Jake. I'll be fine once we get to the party."

Jacob pulled into the crowded parking lot and found a spot. Mike and Jessica finally came up for air when he turned the engine off.

I sighed and followed my friends into the school gym.

Smoke coated the floor of the gym as we walked in under an arch of bare tree branches. Once again, the We're Wolves had outdone themselves. The gym was cast into a dim, amber light with a strobe lit graveyard in one corner and a buffet table manned by zombie's in another. The dance floor lay drenched in fog as flickering lanterns hung overhead. And everywhere you looked there were jack o lanterns.

I was enjoying myself, dancing with Jacob out on the floor in a group with Angela, Ben, Mike and Jessica when a hush fell over the gym. We all turned toward the doors and watched as the Cullen's gracefully entered.

Edward had been right when he said that they never attended school functions, because they never did. This sudden appearance by the entire family pulled the student body into a collective stare.

Jessica snorted into my ear. "Look at them. They can't even do Halloween right. What the fuck is Edward dressed as? The Phantom of the Opera?"

"He's not the Phantom of the Opera, Jess," I stood mesmerized by his graceful beauty. "He's Dracula."

"What the hell is Rosalie supposed to be then?"

"She looks like a bride, Jess," Angela giggled as she fixed the slipping halo on her angel costume. Naturally Ben came dressed as the devil.

"More like one of those undead brides from a horror movie," Ben mused.

"I can't believe they actually showed up," Mike scratched his forehead with his hoof. I still have no idea why he and Jess chose to dress up as a cow and his milk maid. Oh…wait…never mind.

The Cullen's filtered in, smiling and greeting people they knew and smiling at the compliments they were receiving about their amazing costumes.

And they really were amazing. Their attention to detail was quite exquisite. While most of us either bought cheap costumes at WalMart or even made them ourselves, the Cullen's costumes looked authentic. Rosalie's wedding gown looked like a wedding gown you would see in a photo from the 1930's. It was amazingly pristine and detailed, as though it had been preserved for the last seventy years. Jasper was dressed as a Civil War officer. From his uniform, I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps he was one of those people who spent their weekends reenacting the battles from that war. Alice was a flapper, her small, lithe body dancing in her loose drop waist dress while her short, spiky hair was smoothed into a bob with finger waves in it. Emmett was dressed the most comfortably, in a plaid flannel shirt, coveralls and work boots. He carried a big plastic axe and a small stuffed blue ox. Emmett, with all his size, was Paul Bunyan. Paul Bunyan with dimples.

And of course, there was Edward. Edward in his white tie and tails. Edward with his silk cape that swept out behind him as he moved elegantly across the floor.

"Fuck me. Why is Cullen coming this way," Jacob groaned as we stood like statues on the dance floor and watched Edward approach.

The music had changed and a slow, romantic ballad was playing.

Edward stopped in front of us.

"Excuse me, Bella, but would you do me the honor of allowing me to have this dance?"

My insides turned to goo and I felt my face blush bright red. Everyone stared at me, mouths agape. I could feel Jacob's grip tightening around my waist.

"She's not—" he began, but I cut him off.

"I would be honored to have this dance with you, Edward," and before I knew what I was doing, my hand was in his and he was leading me out to the middle of the floor. A small smirk graced his beautiful lips as he glanced sideways at Jacob.

Our eyes locked and he took my hand into his, lacing our fingers together as he gripped my waist firmly, pulling me closer until our bodies were touching. My other arm slid up around his shoulder naturally, my fingers betraying me as they played with the wild bronze hair at the nape of his neck.

We danced with not a word, lost in our own world where the only people who existed were Edward and Bella. There was no Forks High. This wasn't the Halloween Howl. Jacob, Jessica, Mike…none of them existed. Only we existed.

All too soon, the song was over, but the dance continued. It continued until Jacob snatched my hand from Edward's.

"That's enough, Cullen. You had your chance," he sneered. "Go back to that freak show you call a family." With that, he roughly yanked me away from Edward.

I looked back, pleading with my eyes. Edward watched me be dragged away from the dance floor, a slight smile on his ruby lips.

Jacob dragged me from the gym and into the hallway. His eyes were wild. I could see he was trying hard to control his anger.

"What the fuck was that!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I crossed my arms over my chest, what I hoped was a defiant look on my face.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. The way you were holding on to that weirdo. What the hell!"

"Edward is my lab partner, Jake," I gritted my teeth. "We're friendly. We talk. I didn't do anything wrong."

"Your fingers were in his hair!" Jacob's face was red with fury.

"Oh for God's sakes," I threw my arms up in the air. "I'm not going to stand here and argue with you because you're insecure!"

Mike and Jessica appeared in the hallway.

"Everything ok out here, guys," Mike looked from Jacob to me.

"It's fine, Mike. Go back into the party," I crossed my arms across my chest again and leaned back against the wall. "We're just talking."

"Actually, we're leaving. We're going to First Beach now. Go tell Ben and Angela and meet us by the car," Jacob instructed in his authoritarian way.

"But the party's not over, Jake! And it's our last Howl!"

"Stay if you want, Jess, but Bella and I are leaving now," his voice was bitter. "Get a ride down with someone else if you want to stay."

"Actually," I was feeling brave. "I'm not going to First Beach."

"Excuse me?" Jacob glared at me.

"I think you heard me, Jake. I'm not going to First Beach. I want you to take me home. Now."

He took a step closer to me and leaned down so that his face was barely an inch from mine. I could feel his hot breath on my skin as he breathed his heavy breaths.

"We're going to First Beach, Bella. That's been the plan from the beginning," his teeth were clenched.

"Well, I'm changing my plans," I remained defiant. "I'm going home."

Jacob stepped back. "If that's what you want," and I nodded. "Fine. Suit yourself. But just so you know, I'm still going to First Beach," a self satisfied smile played on his lips.

I looked at him with hard eyes. "I don't really care, Jake. I just want you to take me home and leave me alone for the rest of the night."

"Fine."

We drove home in silence, but I didn't really care. The Rabbit ambled down the wet streets of downtown Forks, past little groups of trick or treaters. Past houses decorated with jack o lanterns, ghosts and fake cobwebs. But neither of us noticed. This was it. This was the end. I didn't belong with Jacob. I hadn't belonged with him for a long time. Truth be told, I only stayed with Jacob because he was safe. He was familiar. He was comfortable. But he wasn't what I wanted. He wasn't Edward. And Edward was what I wanted. Edward was who I belonged with. Who I belonged to.

I got out of Jacob's car without a word, barely slamming the door shut before the little car jerked forward and, tires screeching, sped down the street and out of sight.

I let myself into the house, heeding my father's warnings to lock the doors. Once I was in my bedroom, I pulled the stiff, polyester Pocahontas costume off, replacing it with a skimpy white cotton camisole top and matching tap pants that I had been saving just for tonight.

I slid open my window and sat down at my dressing table, brushing my hair as I gazed into the mirror in front of me.

I heard the cape fluttering in the wind before I saw his reflection in the mirror. I closed my eyes as he slipped his fingers into my hair, sliding it gently to one side so that he could press his cool lips to my warm neck. I could feel my pulse quicken just from his touch.

"I'm sorry," he nuzzled his face into the hollow between my neck and my shoulder.

"For what?"

"For starting trouble with Jacob," he sighed and moved to sit on the edge of my bed. I followed him.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Edward," I took his hand in mine.

"I should have realized how he would react to my dancing with you," he shook his head.

"He's a Neanderthal," I laced our fingers together. "And he wasn't angry with you."

He looked up at me, his light amber eyes bright. "Oh no? Then who was he angry at?"

"Me."

"You," he snorted. "Why would he be angry with you?"

"Because, it's one thing for you to pull me close, Edward. It's another thing for me to go willingly and then slide my fingers into your hair," and I did just that to illustrate my point. His eyes flickered closed and he sighed heavily.

"Still," he sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to start trouble. I just wanted to dance with you."

"And I'm so happy that you did," I rested my head on his strong shoulder, his arm wrapping around my waist. "I was so thrilled that you showed up tonight. All of you."

"I'm glad we went too. The others are still there. They're having a great time," he smirked.

"I'm sorry you had to leave the Howl early."

"Are you kidding? There's no where on this planet that I'd rather be then right here with you," his lips gently dusted mine, and I pulled him closer, twisting my fingers into the mess of wild copper hair on his head.

He moaned then, parting his lips, and our tongues met. I pulled him down onto me as I lay back onto the bed, reveling in the feel of him against me.

We were all hands and lips and tongues. My fire meeting his ice.

"This is getting in my way," I reached up, untying the cape from around his neck before pulling the white tie from around his neck.

"Bella," he breathed, closing his eyes as my shaky fingers unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt.

"Please," I slid my hands inside the shirt against his marble smooth skin, goose bumps rising on my back.

He sat up, pulling off the tuxedo jacket quickly before tugging his shirt from his pants, unbuttoning it quickly before slipping it from his shoulders. My breath quickened as I took his glory in. His chest was smooth, sculpted, pale as any marble carved by Michelangelo. Soft wisps of bronze hair dusted his strong, muscular chest before trailing down his taut stomach and disappearing into his trousers.

"Jesus, Edward," I whispered as my fingers found their way along his torso. "You're beautiful."

He smiled. "I could never be nearly as beautiful as you."

And he was once more pressed against me, lips against lips, tongues twisting, tasting, exploring, yearning. He pulled away to kiss down my neck and across my collarbone. Every nerve ending in my body was vibrating and alive.

His fingers slipped under my camisole, finding the swell of my breasts and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.

He pulled back. "I'm sorry," his voice was low as he turned his face, closing his eyes. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Edward," I whispered, cupping his face between my hands and forcing him to look at me. "Don't stop. Don't ever stop."

His topaz eyes sparkled in the dim light of my bedroom. "I have to be so careful with you," he sighed. "I have to control myself or…or I might do something I'll live to regret," he sat up, looking away from me. "And I'd never do anything to compromise your virtue."

"Edward," I sat up behind him, pressing myself against his back as I slid my arms around his chest dragging my fingertips through the soft downy hair there. He sighed and sagged against me. "I want that. I want this. I want you."

"I want you too, but…we shouldn't."

"And why shouldn't we? There's no one in the world I want it to be more than you."

"You…you want it to be me?" He sounded so surprised.

"Edward, I…I love you," I whispered to his back before planting soft, gentle kisses across his cool shoulder blades.

I felt his chest heave with a heavy breath before his hands joined mine as they drifted across his stomach, twisting our fingers together.

"I love you too, Bella," his voice was barely audible.

There was no question after that. I knew that this night, he would not deny me. Slowly, we undressed one another, exploring each other's bodies with our eyes, our hands, our mouths.

Edward was beautiful, as beautiful outside as he was inside. He made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world.

And when we joined together, my hot skin blazing against his cool body, I knew that this was right. That Edward was the one.

We lay on my little bed, wrapped around one another, my cheek pressed against Edward's chest, and a shiver went through me.

"Are you cold?"

"No, it's just…you."

"Me?"

"Yeah," I smiled against him. "Your skin. It's so smooth. Like marble. Smooth and cool to the touch."

I picked my head up and looked at him, his bronze locks even more of a mess than I had ever seen them. And I knew I was the cause. I smiled. "What are you, Edward?"

His golden eyes burned into me. "I've told you. I'm just he man in love with you."

I closed my eyes as his arms tightened around me.

The door slammed and I started awake.

I was alone in the bed, my window was closed and the blind was drawn, blocking out the morning light. Edward was gone.

"Bells?"

Charlie was clomping up the stairs.

I jumped up to get dressed, hoping to hide, but realized, with a sigh of relief, that I was wearing a tshirt and shorts. Edward must have somehow dressed me before he left. Once again, a fleeting thought that he was something other than human passed through my head, but slipped out as Charlie opened the door.

"Bells?"

"Yeah Dad," I slid back under the blanket, trying to slow my rapidly beating heart.

The door creaked open. "Is Jacob in here with you?"

"No…" Jacob?

He came into the room, looking around with his hands on his hips. A worried look was on his face.

"Dad…what…what's the matter?"

"Billy called me down at the station around six this morning. Jacob never came home last night."

"What?"

"You're not lying to me, are you? Did he spend the night here?"

"No, no he didn't, Dad." I tossed the blanket back and sat up on the edge of the bed.

"What time did he drop you off then," my father sat down on the bed next to me.

"We left early. Jake and I had a fight, and I made him bring me home. Last time I saw him he was peeling away from the curb," I felt stunned. He must have been pretty pissed at me to not go home last night.

"Did he say where he was going?"

"I know they were all going to First Beach after Howl," I could feel myself starting to tremble.

"Who all went?"

I felt like my father was interrogating me, but I understood why. Jacob's father, Billy Black, was my father's best friend from childhood. Billy's pain was Charlie's pain.

"Um…well, Jake, Mike, Jess. Ben and Angela were going. I think Erik and Tyler too. And if Tyler was there, you know Lauren went."

"Anyone else?"

"Probably a few of the guys from the reservation. Quil and Embry are always there when we go."

"Thanks, Bells," he leaned over and kissed my forehead before getting up and heading to the door. He paused, turning around and looking at me. "You're not lying to me, are you?"

"Why would I lie?"

"I won't be mad if he spent the night. You're eighteen. And I understand," his voice was sad.

"Dad, Jake didn't spend the night."

"Ok, I believe you. I'm gonna give Billy a call. See if he turned up yet. Then I guess, if he hasn't, we'll head out to First Beach and start interviewing whoever went was there."

"Let me know if there's anything I can do." I felt guilty. I was positive that Jacob not returning home that night was because of our fight.

I waited until Charlie was downstairs before grabbing my cell and calling Edward. A tone squealed in my ear before a voice informed me that the number I had dialed was no longer in service. Regardless of how many times I dialed, the result was always the same.

Despite the best efforts of the Forks Police Department, the member's of the tribe and even the state police, no trace of Jacob Black would ever be found.

Edward Cullen didn't show up at school on Monday, or any day after that. Neither did the rest of the Cullen's.

It was as though Edward had never existed.

The story that slowly circulated around the town was that Dr. Cullen had been offered a prestigious position as Chief of Staff back East, but had to report immediately.

But I knew something more sinister was at play. I knew that Edward would never leave me unless he had absolutely no other choice. I knew that he would never make love to me and then just…disappear. He was the man who loved me.

I didn't have much time to worry or wonder. Or to be feeling sorry for myself. My body was beginning to undergo serious changes, changes that worried me. And worried my father.

My baby was born on a rare sunny July day. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place for everyone after that. Of course, it all made sense. Jacob had knocked me up and, unwilling to take responsibility, had fled from the responsibility.

I did nothing to quell this rumor. It somehow made Billy feel better. It somehow made everyone feel better.

But Charlie Swan knew. He knew that this wasn't really what happened. He knew that something was amiss.

"You know," he held my tiny son in his arms as he fed him. "You aren't going to be able to hide it for very long."

I turned from the counter where I was chopping potatoes and stared at my father. I knew the color had drained from my face, but I decided to play it cool.

"Hide what?"

"Hide the fact that this is Edward Cullen's baby and not Jacob Black's."

Charlie's voice was cool. Calm. The voice of a trained cop.

I felt my knees buckle under myself, and I grabbed the counter for support.

"How…how long have you known?"

He smiled. "I've known since you told me you were pregnant."

"But…how?"

"Bells, you forget. You're my daughter. I know you. I knew you weren't lying when you said Jacob didn't spend the night here. But I knew someone had spent the night with you," he shifted and put the bottle on the table, pulling the baby up onto his shoulder to burp him.

"But…how…how did you know it was Edward," I had somehow managed to make my way over to the old table, where I flopped down in a chair, numb.

"Because the baby looks more like Edward than Edward does. Because, while you call him Anthony, I know that on his birth certificate his name is Edward Anthony."

I felt…relief. I felt relieved that my father knew. That I no longer had to be careful around him not to coo to my beautiful son how much he looked like his beautiful father. I no longer had to worry that the copper fuzz on top of his small round head would invite questions from Charlie…questions that I wasn't prepared to answer.

I felt the tears cascading down my cheeks.

"Aw, Bells. Don't cry. It's ok. I understand. More than you'll know."

"You're not mad?"

"Not really. I understand why you did what you did," he stood up and put Anthony into his little seat that sat on the table between us. "I don't like that you lied to me all this time, or rather, that you omitted some facts, but, like I said, I do understand why you did it."

"I'm sorry Dad."

"No need. What we need to do, though, is figure out what to do next."

"To do?"

"Bells," he looked at me with sad eyes. "Sooner or later, someone else is going to notice that this baby doesn't look like Jacob."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

I drove through the darkness, headlights illuminating the dark road ahead of me. If I hurried, we would at least get a good night's sleep. It was odd, how I'd gotten this job, but I learned a long time ago never to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The timing of it, however, still left me with shivers if I thought about it too long. I started my new job tomorrow. Halloween.

Even if it was short notice and in the middle of the term, I knew I was lucky to get this opportunity. It had always been my hope to teach honors English at the high school level. Couple that with the fact that this job paid a hell of a lot more than the one I'd just left, and I knew that this move was right. Everything you have heard about being a single parent is true. It was hard being both father and mother to Anthony.

I glanced into the rear view mirror. Anthony appeared to be sound asleep in the back seat. I smiled. He was so much like his father, in more ways than just his looks. My father had been right. Anyone who knew Edward Cullen would never mistake anyone else for my son's father. Anthony had the same wild bronze hair and glistening cool, pale skin that Edward had. His face held the same other worldly beauty as well, except where Edward's eyes were a shimmering gold, our son's eyes shone bright emerald green.

Much like his father, my son was intelligent beyond his years and seemed to possess the same acute perception about others thoughts and feelings, almost as though he could read their minds. Unlike his father, however, Anthony loved to sleep.

It had been ten years since that Halloween night in Forks. Ten years since my life had changed. Ten years, and I never looked back.

I knew Rochester, New York wasn't exactly paradise to most people, but to me, it was. We knew no one here. No one would question us or look at us funny. This was the new start I'd wanted for a long time.

I saw the sign for the exit, and turned down the ramp, breathing a sigh of relief. It was still early enough. We'd be able to get our

suitcases into our little rental house with time to spare to grab a bite to eat and relax a little.

I didn't give in to the constant urge to think about Edward often, and when I did, it was never with hostility. I knew that there was a perfectly good explanation for why he had left without a word, as surely as I was confident that Edward was not of this world, my world. My heart knew with untold certainty that we would be together again, this time forever.

I pulled up in front of the little yellow house I had rented from a realtor online. It was a sunny, yellow cottage. The outside lights were on, beckoning us to our new home. Crisp autumn leaves dusted the front yard and two welcoming lit jack o lanterns decorated the front porch.

"Anthony, sweetie," I roused my son from his sleep. "We're here."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

I sat nervously at my new desk, anxious to meet my senior honors English class. So far, the caliber of honor students here had not disappointed me.

Annoyingly, I had misplaced the student list for this class, and, with class about to start, I anxiously awaited the secretary to email it to me again. I would just have to make due with sending around a sign in sheet, I guessed.

Since it was Halloween, and I was new, I had decided to have a little bit of fun with my new students. We were going to read and discuss Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven today.

I fussed with the papers on my desk as the students filed in, noisily talking amongst themselves.

I felt him before I saw him.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up and my arms prickled with goose bumps.

I looked up, directly into a pair of soft, golden eyes.

"Good afternoon, Miss Swan," he whispered, before turning away from my desk to take his seat.

I sat, mouth agape.

Edward Cullen had not changed one bit since that last night I saw him, ten long years ago.

I somehow managed to regain my composure and muddled through the class, attempting to keep a fun and lighthearted discussion going. I avoided eye contact with him, and when I did call on him, I did what I was doing with the rest of the class. Since I knew no one's name yet, I simply addressed them by their looks. "Greenday shirt boy" or "Girl with orange hair band". Edward was "Wild bronze haired boy", which elicited giggles from the class, as well as a beautiful crooked smile from the boy himself.

When class was over, Edward left with the rest of his classmates, pausing briefly to look at me over his shoulder, almost in disbelief.

I heaved a sigh of relief and, with trembling hands, packed up my papers to head home.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

I had decided not to take all of our furniture from our old apartment in South Carolina, opting instead to purchase new furniture for our new beginning. The realtor who had so kindly left the jack o lantern's outside for us had also been nice enough to wait at the house for the delivery of our new beds so that we could have somewhere to sleep. It's really true. You can find anything you need on the internet. Until we were able to go shopping over the weekend, the beds would remain the only pieces of furniture in our new home, so Anthony and I had an indoor picnic in the living room, spreading an old quilt on the floor and eating our delivered pizza while sitting cross legged across from one another.

Just because we were new and hardly settled in didn't mean we weren't going to enjoy trick or treaters. A big bowl of candy sat on the stairs by the front door, waiting for the bell to ring.

"I'm sorry you aren't going trick or treating tonight, sweetie," I took a bite of my pizza, marveling at how good it was.

"That's ok, Mom," Anthony's voice was sounding more and more like his father's every day. I hadn't really thought about it until seeing Edward again today.

"I promise, next Halloween, you can have a party with all of your new friends."

His lips twitched up into a crooked smile. Edward's smile. "Cool! Thanks, Mom!"

"No problem," I nibbled on the crust of my pizza slice, and wondered about Edward. Where was he right now? Was he at a party? Was he giving out candy to little kids dressed up as ghosts and ninjas?

The fact that, after ten years, Edward had not physically changed one bit and was still attending high school never came into question. I had always known that Edward was somehow beyond human. Exactly what he was, I had no idea. But I did know that our son had inherited some of his unique qualities. Anthony was strong. At nine years old, he was much stronger physically than I was. His skin was cooler and his body temperature slightly lower than normal. While he loved to sleep, he didn't need as much sleep as a normal nine year old, although he considered napping his favorite hobby. He ran faster and longer than most other kids his age and his growth rate seemed a little quicker.

The doorbell rang, and we both got up from the floor to answer the door. A group of children a little bit younger than Anthony held out brightly colored bags and shouted "Trick or Treat" loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear. Anthony smiled as he dropped 'fun sized' Snickers and Milky Way's into the bags.

"Hey Mom," he called as he closed the door behind himself. "Why do they call these 'fun sized'?"

We went back to our pizza, flopping down on the floor. He tossed a small gold foil wrapped Snickers from hand to hand.

"Because they are for fun occasions, like Halloween," I sipped my diet cola.

"Seriously? What's so much fun about a candy bar that's like, a tease. You have to eat four of them just to have a normal sized candy bar."

"Normal for you," I snorted and took another bite of my pizza. "And don't you dare touch that candy bar before you finish your pizza, got it?"

"Yep," he shoved his slice into his mouth, orange pizza grease oozing onto his perfect lips.

I tucked him into his new bed, his familiar Spongebob sheets wrapped around him snugly.

For some reason, perhaps a long forgotten habit that unknowingly resurfaced, I opened the window in my bedroom before undressing that night.

His cool lips were on my warm neck before I realized he was there.

"Bella," he breathed into my skin.

"Edward," my arm snaked around, twisting around his head, fingers grabbing at his soft copper hair. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"I'm so sorry," his lips trailed down to my shoulder and my body shuddered.

I turned, taking his face between my hands, rubbing my fingers along the strong line of his jaw. His amber eyes sparkled like big topazes in the low bedroom light.

"What are you?"

"I'm just the man who loves you," he sighed.

"Then…why? Why did you leave me?"

He sighed, and looked away.

I gripped his hands in mine, leading him over to my bed. We sat on the edge, his eyes cast downward.

"Edward…why," I asked softly.

"I…I had no other choice."

"Edward," I cupped his chin in my hand, forcing him to look at me. "Why?"

"I didn't want you to get hurt," his liquid gold eyes burned into me like they had so many times before.

"I…I don't understand."

"Bella," he took my hands in his. "I couldn't let them hurt you. I had no other choice."

"Who? Who would have hurt me?"

He sighed, closing his eyes and whispering something that I couldn't hear clearly. It sounded like a prayer. He opened his eyes and looked at me with sad, regretful eyes.

"You always ask me what I am," he said quietly.

"Yes, because I know you aren't quite human, Edward. I know that you are something…more."

"And you're right," he shook his head.

"I can see that now. I mean…ten years, Edward. Ten years and you've not aged a day. And you're still in high school."

He nodded. "My kind…we don't age."

"What…what are you?" My body trembled. He was frightening me now.

"I want you to know that I love you. I'd never hurt you. So please…please…don't be afraid of me," he sounded desperate as he twisted our fingers together.

"I know that," I clutched at his hands with my own. "Edward, please…you can tell me anything. I…I love you."

His eyes widened. "Still…after all this time?"

"Yes," I breathed. "I will love you forever."

Some of the tension seemed to leave his body, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and he pulled me closer.

"I will love you forever as well," he buried his face in my hair.

"Then tell me, Edward. Tell me your secret so I can tell you mine."

"I…Bella…I," he stammered, surprising me. I had never known Edward to be anything but confident.

"Edward, what are you?"

"I'm a vampire, Bella."

I couldn't help it. My head flew back and a hearty laugh filled the room. I laughed and laughed. I laughed until I cried.

"Bella?"

"I'm sorry, Edward. It's just…it's…well, in my wildest dreams that never occurred to me."

"And…I'm a blood sucking monster and that's funny to you," he looked a little hurt.

"No, darling, you're not a monster. Not at all," I pressed my palm to his cheek. "I know that you'd never hurt me. Lord knows you've had your share of opportunity to do so and you haven't. It's just, well, a relief."

"A relief?"

"Yes. I now know what I have always felt was true. You aren't human. At least not in the same way I am."

He smiled at me. "I can still feel, Bella. I can still feel love and sadness. And over this last decade, I've felt the love in my heart for you, and the sadness in it, being away from you."

"They why, Edward? Why did you leave me?"

He kissed my forehead. "Not now. You have a secret to tell me?"

"But—"

"No. We had a deal," his beautiful lips curled into a crooked smile. "I showed you mine. Now you show me yours."

I stood, taking his hands and pulling him up from the bed. I led him down the hall, stopping on front of my son's bedroom. _Our_ son's bedroom.

As quietly as I could, I pushed the door open and led Edward into the room.

I heard his breathing speed up considerably, and his hand tightened around mine.

"We…why…you…I didn't…what…" he stammered, his velvet voice holding a slight ring of panic.

"You left before I knew," I pulled him closer to where our child lay sleeping.

"He's so beautiful," he whispered into the darkness. "He looks just like you."

I smiled. "No, Edward, he looks just like you."

He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my back against his chest as he leaned his chin on my shoulder. "He's…perfect."

I slid from his arms, leading him out of Anthony's room so as not to wake him, for our son had very sharp hearing.

I closed my bedroom door once we were back into it and we fell into each other's arms.

"What's his name? What's he like? Is he into baseball?" Edward's questions came at me in rapid succession.

Giggling like the school girl I had once been, I pulled him back onto the bed with me.

"His name is Anthony," I traced his lips with my fingertip. "Actually, his legal name is Edward Anthony."

"You named him for me," his lips curled into a smile as I nodded.

"I did. He's amazing. He's smart, funny, sassy. He's a typical nine year old, although he's quite strong and fast and his body temperature is a little cooler than normal humans."

"Wow," he shook his head. "Can I tell Carlisle about him? He'd be fascinated."

"Well, Carlisle and Esme are his grand parents," I smiled, hoping against hope that Edward, Anthony and I could finally be the family I had always wanted us to be.

Edward threaded his long fingers through my hair and chills ran up my spine. "I can't wait to tell them they're grandparents."

"Neither can I," I nuzzled my nose against the soft bronze hairs that peeked through the open collar of his oxford shirt.

"Tell me more?"

"Well, he loves baseball and just this past summer he played little league."

"What position?"

"Um…center field?"

Edward pumped his fist. "Yes!"

"That makes you happy?"

"That makes me extraordinarily happy, my love."

I smiled and rested my cheek against his chest as his arms came up around my back, and it was like ten years had never passed between us. I don't know how long we stayed in one another's arms like that, but at that point, time had ceased to mean anything.

Finally, Edward broke our silence.

"I owe you your explanation, Bella. Once you know the reason I left, you may not want to see me ever again."

I looked at him and saw the worry and fright that crease his beautiful face.

"No, there's nothing you could tell me that could ever make me feel that way, Edward."

He sighed and shifted, laying back on the bed, taking me with him.

"That night," he began. "That Halloween when we…when we made love," he swallowed hard. "You fell asleep after, and I held you all night. I watched you sleep. It was so beautiful," his hands were rubbing up and down my back. "But just before dawn, I…heard something."

"What did you hear?"

"I heard Jacob Black's mind, Bella."

"His…mind?" I sat up. "You can read minds." It wasn't a question.

He looked up at me, and nodded silently.

"Then what am I thinking?"

"I can read everyone's mind…except yours," he held his arms out to me and I returned to him, laying my cheek against his strong chest.

"So…you heard Jake's mind."

"Yes."

"And what was he thinking?"

"He was thinking that he was going to kill the blood sucker once I left the house."

"He…what?" I sat up yet again, staring down at Edward.

"Jacob is Quileute, Bella. Quileute descended from wolves."

"You don't believe those stupid old legends about them turning into wolves any more than I do, Edward."

"But you believe I'm a vampire? Aren't we legends too?"

"That's different."

"It's not. Jacob was laying in wait for me. He fully intended to phase into a wolf and kill me."

"That's…" I had no words. Jacob had planned on taking Edward from me. I fell back onto Edward's chest and wrapped my arms around him tightly.

"So," he sighed, "When I heard his thoughts, I went out to meet him. I tried to talk to him, to make him understand that we were in love. But he'd already made up his mind. He phased and attacked me," his voice was low.

"And?"

"And…I killed him."

I couldn't help the gasp that left my mouth. My vampire lover had killed my werewolf boyfriend.

"If you want me to leave, I will," he said gravely.

I pulled myself closer to him. "No. I never want you to leave me again."

"Aren't you mad at me for what I did," his voice shook with emotion.

I sighed. "I always knew that Jake was gone forever. But I had always had a nagging little thought festering that he'd done something horrible to you," I kissed his chest. "You had no other choice," my shaking voice gave away my true feelings.

"I'm sorry, Bella."

"I forgive you, Edward. Just promise me you'll never leave me again."

"I promise."

Our lips met, tongues twisting together in a desperate dance, my fingers twisted into his wild hair. Edward's lips ran along my jaw, and I tilted my head back, baring my alabaster neck to him. He dragged his tongue across my throat, a moan escaping his perfect red lips.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

I sat at my dressing table, brushing my long brown hair. Edward had been true to his word and stayed with me. Together, we raised our son in a home filled with love and laughter. Anthony had grown into an extraordinary man, a compassionate doctor like his beloved grandfather Carlisle.

He'd married a beautiful woman he'd met through his aunt Alice. She was an artist, and together they gifted Edward and I with three amazing grandchildren.

Edward rested his hands on my shoulders, rubbing them gently.

"I don't know about you, but I never get tired of the grandkids."

I giggled. "It's so funny to hear you say that, considering you're an eternal teenager."

He laughed, his mouth curving up into his perfect, crooked smile. "At least I'm young enough to really enjoy my grandkids."

"You can go to prom with them," I teased.

"Yes, I'm sure they'd love that," he leaned down, lips softly pressing against my neck. "Isn't it enough that I took them trick or treating tonight?"

"And people gave you candy as well. I think that's the part you love the most."

"Hey, I can't help it if they are dazzled by my youthful good looks," he pressed his lips to my temple. "Happy Halloween, darling."

"Happy Halloween, Edward."

He trailed his lips down along my neck and to my shoulder. I closed my eyes, sucking in a breath. He never failed to excite me, even after all these years.

"Come to bed, Bella," he whispered in my ear as he took my hand in his. A shiver ran down my spine.

I opened my eyes and looked into the dressing table mirror.

Two pair of amber eyes looked back.

**~The End~**

Well? What'd ya think?

This is exactly how it was entered. I've toyed with the idea of expanding the story, but I dunno…

**Happy Halloween!**


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